#Clay Kaytis

[romancegifs]

Kurt Russell & Goldie Hawn as Santa & Mrs Claus THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES (2018) dir. Clay Kaytis

#the christmas chronicles #2010s #kurt russell #goldie hawn #clay kaytis #by kraina #gifs #filmedit #christmasedit #filmgifs #underbetelgeuse #userrobin #usermima #tuserhan #userairam #usersavana #usersugar #userdanahscott #usertj #userpavlova

[fyeahmovies]

THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES (2018) dir. Clay Kaytis

#the christmas chronicles #2010s #kurt russell #clay kaytis #by kraina #*gif #filmedit #christmasedit #filmgifs #underbetelgeuse #userrobin #userpayton #tuserhan #userpavlova #usermima #userairam #usersavana #usersugar #usertj #userdanahscott

[pierppasolini]

A Christmas Story (1983) // dir. Bob Clark

A Christmas Story Christmas (2022) // dir. Clay Kaytis

#Peter Billingsley #A Christmas Story #Bob Clark #A Christmas Story Christmas #Clay Kaytis #my caps #my edits #*achristmasstory

[movies-tv-more]

A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS is now streaming on HBO Max

#a christmas story christmas #2022 movies #peter billingsley #hbo max #clay kaytis #a christmas story #warner bros. pictures #movie poster #christmas movie

[erikwiese]

Secret Life of Pets Ride: Off the Leash

Starting in 2017, I worked on the Secret Life of Pets blacklight ride at Universal Studios as a Co-Creative Director along with Clay Kaytis and Derek Drymon. Most of the work I did was to come up with gags for the characters in their designated spaces from the Universal Creative Engineers.

The premise of the ride is that you're a stray puppy hoping to get adopted. As you move through in a "cardboard box," Max, Duke, and the gang help you navigate the New York City streets as you try to get to Pet World for Adoption Day.

Above is an early concept and animation launch for the start of the ride as you enter Central Park.

I would occasionally animate some rough poses to see how much movement we could do, but I learned that full animation applied to robot animatronics has its limits: each movement has a lifespan before it eventually breaks. Also, the more movement, the faster the robot's fabric wears out. So a lot of what we animated needed to be reduced to essential movements. Forget tail wags!

Below is an early rough pose test (in Storyboard Pro) of Max and Duke on the couch welcoming you to the apartment while you're waiting in line to get into your "cardboard box" car. (Dialogue is scratch.)

In a million years I never expected to direct (co-direct | Illumination side) a classic blacklight ride like the ones I grew up loving. It still amazes me that this world that was entirely CG now exists as a place you can visit and immerse yourself in.

#secret life of pets #theme park #universal theme parks #secret life of pets ride #erik wiese #universal studios hollywood #max and duke #snowball #derek drymon #clay kaytis #illumination entertainment

[moviehealthcommunity]

A Christmas Story Christmas (2022) This is a Movie Health Community evaluation. It is intended to inform people of potential health hazards in movies and does not reflect the quality of the film itself. The information presented here has not been reviewed by any medical professionals. A Christmas Story Christmas has no cause for concern with flashing lights. One scene involves peril at extreme heights. A few brief moments use handheld cameras. Flashing Lights: 0/10. Motion Sickness: 2/10. TRIGGER WARNING: A child vomits on-screen after eating most of a comically-large lollipop.

Image ID: A promotional poster for A Christmas Story Christmas

#Movie Health Community #Health Warning #Actually Epileptic #Photosensitive Epilepsy #Seizures #Migraines #Motion Sickness #HBO Max #A Christmas Story Christmas #November #2022 #Peter Billingsley #Erinn Hayes #Scott Schwartz #R.D. Robb #Zack Ward #Julie Hagerty #Clay Kaytis #Rated PG

[courseyoulovemeyoudontknowme]

The Christmas Chronicles (2018, Clay Kaytis)

31/12/2023

The Christmas Chronicles is a 2018 film directed by Clay Kaytis, starring Kurt Russell as Santa Claus.

The project was announced in December 2017, when Kurt Russell, Judah Lewis and Darby Camp were chosen as the protagonists of the Netflix film.

Filming of the film began in January 2018 in Toronto and then continued in Chicago.

The Hollywood Reporter includes the film among the thirty-six best Christmas films of all time.

The sequel, also produced and distributed by Netflix, was released in 2020 and sees the return of Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Darby Camp, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Judah Lewis to the cast, while the new faces are Julian Dennison and Jahzir Bruno; Chris Columbus is directing, and is also co-writing the screenplay with Matt Lieberman.

#the christmas chronicles #2018 #Clay Kaytis #kurt russell #santa claus #judah lewis #darby camp #netflix #toronto #chicago #the hollywood reporter #goldie hawn #Kimberly Williams-Paisley #julian dennison #Jahzir Bruno #chris columbus #Matt Lieberman #Christmas by medium #comedy film #lamorne morris #oliver hudson #1482 Pictures #sled #reindeer #christmas #The Christmas Chronicles 2 #dodge challenger #north pole #santa claus is back in town #Mrs Claus

[rookie-critic]

A Christmas Story Christmas (2022, dir. Clay Kaytis) - review by Rookie-Critic

I'm not going to lie, A Christmas Story Christmas had me worried at first. It already had some tall shoes to fill in following up what has always been my favorite Christmas movie, A Christmas Story (a lot of that is probably fueled by nostalgia, but I don't care it brings me so much joy every Christmas). I watched it on Christmas day with my family (most of whom had already seen it), and for the first 20 minutes of the film the vibe felt off. I can't put my finger on it, but it didn't seem like what the sequel to A Christmas Story should be. Peter Billingsley was there, and he was for sure acting like Ralphie, but it wasn't clicking for me. That was, until they brought in Flick and Schwartz (Ralphie's two best friends from the original film). After that it was like a switch flipped. I was laughing almost the entire time, and when I wasn't I was at least grinning. The whole experience made a complete 180 from where I had started the film at.

I want to really take a moment to applaud this movie for knowing the difference between homage and unoriginal retreading. A Christmas Story Christmas could have easily slid by on taking the events of the original and copy/pasting them into the events of this movie, and while there are moments that are similar in the sense that the same thing is occurring (bargaining for the Christmas tree, children getting bullied by the neighborhood menaces, a "triple-dog dare" situation), it's always either flipped on its head or framed in a way that gives it new relevance. The film adds in a handful of its own, original gags as well, and adds some welcome new pieces of Parker family Christmas lore (their attitude towards carolers being chief among them). All the returning characters are played expertly by their original actors, with the exception of Mrs. Parker, who is being played by Julie Hagerty (who you might know from Airplane) instead of Melinda Dillon this time around. Hagerty does a pretty good job of stepping into Dillon's shoes, and the change is barely felt at all. The main new additions to the cast, Ralphie's wife, Sandy (played by Erinn Hayes), and children Mark & Julie, don't quite fit right in with the eclectic cast of characters surrounding them, but the film does this intentionally and uses it as a further vehicle for humor. Hayes plays a great "fish out of water" character among the residents of Hohman, Indiana, and deserves just as much praise as the legacy cast members do for her performance.

Outside of the film's humor, there's a surprising amount of great emotional moments, as well. I found myself on the verge of tears multiple times and even allowing a full cry during a particularly emotional scene towards the end of the film. The movie pays massive homage to the late Darren McGavin, who played the father in the original film (or as he is referred to in both the original and this one, The Old Man), and it's in those scenes that the movie finds its heart. Is A Christmas Story Christmas actually as good as I'm making it out to be? Possibly not, it could be that I'm tying my nostalgic love for the original Christmas Story to this one and can't look past it, but at the very least this should be a relief and an absolute treat to those who love the original film like I do. Just make sure not to discount it based on the first handful of scenes.

Score: 8/10

Currently streaming on HBO Max.

#A Christmas Story Christmas #A Christmas Story #Clay Kaytis #Peter Billingsley #Erinn Hayes #Julie Hagerty #River Drosche #Julianna Layne #Scott Schwartz #R. D. Robb #Ian Petrella #Zack Ward #Yano Anaya #Davis Murphy #Henry Miller #film review #movie review #2022 films

[screenzealots]

"A Christmas Story Christmas"

“A Christmas Story Christmas”

When it comes to good reasons to make a sequel to a beloved classic movie, “nostalgia” should never top the list. Yet here we are with the forgettable “A Christmas Story Christmas,” an unnecessary, unwanted, and unneeded follow-up to 1983’s “A Christmas Story.” Director Clay Kaytis leans heavily on fond memories of the first film, from relying on actual flashbacks to bringing back the same…

View On WordPress

#Clay Kaytis #Erinn Hayes #Julianna Layne #Julie Hagerty #Peter Billingsley #R.D. Robb #River Drosche #Scott Schwartz #Zack Ward

[greensparty]

Movie Reviews: A Christmas Story Christmas / She Said

This week I got to review two movies at polar opposites of the cinematic spectrum:

A Christmas Story Christmas

movie poster

1983′s A Christmas Story, a nostalgic look back at small town 1940s America as little Ralphie plots to get a BB gun for the holidays, has become a classic. It is something you expect to see every year like the annual tree lighting. So many of the quotes from the movie have made their way into the lexicon: “you’ll shoot your eye out!”, “I triple dog dare you!”, and  “Fraj-ee-lay! It must be Italian!”. There have been several attempts over the years to do sequels and spin-offs. American Playhouse did some spin-offs, the characters came back in 1994′s My Summer Story and 2012′s A Christmas Story 2 about Ralphie as a teenager. But after writer/narrator Jean Sheppard died in 1999 and ACS director Bob Clark died in 2007, it looked bleak to see a reunion of the original cast. Until now that is. Majority of the original cast of reunited to play their characters from ACS thirty-something years later in the mid-70s with A Christmas Story Christmas premiering on HBO Max this week.

Ralphie (played by Peter Billingsley) is now married with two kids in Chicago and he has given himself a year to try and make it as a published writer. It’s not looking good as the end of that year is nearing. Then Ralphie’s Mother (played by Julie Hagerty, replacing original mother Melinda Dillon, who is now retired from acting) calls about a death in the family. Ralphie packs up his kids and wife Sandy (Erinn Hayes) and they head back to Indiana to help Mrs. Parker and prepare for Christmas. While there, he runs into many old friends including Flick (Scott Schwartz) and Schwartz (R.D. Robb).

Hayes and Billingsly decorate the tree

Here is the thing with making a sequel to a modern classic and/or making that audience wait decades for the sequel: nostalgia is a double-edged sword. It is rare to top the original so in reuniting the cast, it can be fun to see these beloved characters return, but if it’s not engaging or entertaining enough, it’s just going to remind the audience how good the original was. One of the biggest hits of this year is Top Gun: Maverick, which was a sequel that came 36 years after the original, but the genius in that sequel is that it brought the characters into the present in a film that felt very much like the original but with even better action and set pieces. That kind of lightning striking is super rare, but when it works it works really well. 39 years after ACS was released, this sequel does have a clear affection and love of the original as you can see in countless shot compositions reflecting the original, exact replicas of the production design and dialogue in the same vein and the original cast members returning. Star / producer / co-writer Billingsley himself has actually been quite prolific in his adult life having produced a lot of films for Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn, who is a producer on this film. It also tugged at my heartstrings as I, myself, dealt with a personal loss earlier this year. Story-wise I wished there was a little more to it and some of the gags don’t always land, but there actually were quite a few laughs to be had (more so than your average holiday movie). Semi-spoiler alert: The film also doesn’t cop out to make a super-happy ending, instead it goes more for realistic happy. This is not the Top Gun: Maverick of holiday movies by any means, but it is way better than it should be. Going into this I thought they’d just ride the coattails of the original cast, but they definitely tried to make this a loving tribute to the original. Worth watching!

For info on ACSC: https://www.hbomax.com/feature/a-christmas-story-christmas

3.5 out of 5 stars

She Said

movie poster

In October 2017, the New York Times published a report from investigative journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey about the sexual harassment and abuse of Miramax Films executive Harvey Weinstein. This article lead to more and more actresses coming forward to acknowledge the abuses of Weinstein and others in Hollywood and it became the catalyst for the #MeToo movement. Both Kantor and Twohey wrote a book in 2019 about their process of writing this investigative report. That book has now been adapted into the movie She Said, opening today from Universal Pictures.

Before I begin this review, I do want to acknowledge: I did an internship for a semester in 2001 at Miramax Films. I never once had any interaction or contact with the Weinstein brothers. I, myself, was not only not aware of anything going on behind closed doors, I actually worked for numerous female executives and from where I was standing (which was even below the ladder as a lowly intern) it seemed like a good place to work and make films with. Little did I know! But I worked with some amazing people, some of whom I’m still good friends with today. When the news broke in 2017 I was as surprised as anyone. There had been rumors for years of Harvey Weinstein being flirtatious, but no one expected the allegations and abuse of power. It was horrible and should not have happened in the first place, let alone for as long as it did.

Mulligan and Kazan 

The film begins in 2016 as Twohey (played by Carrie Mulligan) is investigating then-presidential-candidate Donald Trump for sexual misconduct. Insult to injury is that Trump gets elected president. The following year, Twohey and Kantor (Zoe Kazan) begin an investigative story upon hearing some accusations about Harvey Weinstein. The film, directed by Maria Schrader, shows their process of digging deeper and deeper as they talk to people who have either been silenced or chosen not to speak for fear of being blackballed in Hollywood. It also shows the work-life balance of both journalists, as they go further and further down the rabbit hole. 

I’m a big fan of the newspaper movie as a genre and this one is in that pantheon of Spotlight and The Post, where it shows the inner workings of a newspaper, the concerns of the editor and the question of when to run the story. Now going into this movie, I knew about NYT story and the impact it had, so the stakes were only so high, i.e. you know walking into this movie that the story is going to get finished and published. But there was quite a bit I didn’t know about in terms of how the journalists got their sources to speak on the record. That was fascinating. It also breaks down the third wall: there is one actress who was mentioned in the story and instead of having an actress portray her, she actually appears in the film as herself. It also feels like it is a movie that is very of-the-moment. 2017 is now five years ago, but it felt like watching a movie about something very recent. At times it reminded me a lot of All the President’s Men (the Sgt. Pepper of newspaper movies!), which was released in 1976 and took place between 1972 and 1974. That film showed the journalists in their process to uncover Watergate. Here Twohey and Kantor deep dive to uncover Weinstein but it also shows the newspaper itself and the decisions they made along the way. This is a solid historical drama and I’m thrilled to see both Mulligan and Kazan, both of whom I’ve always been a big fan of, swing for the fences! 

For info on She Said: https://www.shesaidmovie.com/

4.5 out of 5 stars

#Movie Reviews #a christmas story christmas #a christmas story #clay kaytis #she said #maria schrader #film geek

[geekcavepodcast]

A Christmas Story Christmas Trailer

Ralphie Parker is once again under a lot of Christmas stress...this time as an adult and dad.

A Christmas Story Christmas stars Peter Billingsley (Ralphie), Erinn Hayes (Sandy), Julianna Layne (Julie), River Drosche (Mark), Scott Schwarts (Flick), RD Robb (Schwartz), Ian Petrella (Randy), David Murphy (Delbert Bumpus), Zack Ward (Scut Farkus), Julie Hagerty (Mrs. Parker/Ralphie’s mom). Clay Kaytis directs from a screenplay by Nick Schenk and Kaytis. The screen story is by Schenk and Billingsley and is based on Jean Shepherd’s book In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash.

A Christmas Story Christmas hits HBO Max on November 17, 2022.

#christmas story christmas #peter billingsley #erinn hayes #julianna layne #river drosche #scott schwartz #rd robb #ian petrella #davis murphy #zack ward #julie hagerty #clay kaytis #nick schenk #jean shepherd #warner bros #hbo max #TGCLiz

[acecroft]

The Christmas Chronicles (2018) dir. Clay Kaytis

#filmedit #christmasedit #the christmas chronicles #santa claus #kurt russell #xmas #kurtrusselledit #moviesedit #mygifs #moviegifs #useroptional #cinemaspam #userstream #cinemapix #filmgifs

[pierppasolini]

A Christmas Story Christmas (2022) // dir. Clay Kaytis

#Peter Billingsley #A Christmas Story Christmas #Clay Kaytis #my caps #my edits #*achristmasstory

[bob-belcher]

The Christmas Chronicles (2018) dir. Clay Kaytis

#the christmas chronicles #santa claus #kurt russell #filmedit #christmasedit #cinenapix #filmgifs #useroptional #userstream #moviegifs #gifs #ours #by ksusha

[cinematitlecards]

"A Christmas Story" (1983) Directed by Bob Clark (Comedy/Family/Christmas) . . "A Christmas Story Christmas: Ralphie Returns" (2022) Directed by Clay Kaytis (Comedy/Family/Christmas)

#a christmas story #1983 #2022 #christmas #bob clark #clay curtis #film #cinema #cinema title cards #peter billingsley

[chillingcinemachronicles]

Best Animated Movies on Netflix for a Visual Feast

1. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

Director: Joel Crawford

Cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, Wagner Moura

Lights, camera, VPNaction! Elevate your movie nights with NordVPN. 🎥🔒secure your connection and Download NordVPN . Click now to unlock global cinematic thrills!

Sequels released over a decade after the first film are always a gamble, but Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was one of multiple films from 2022 (Top Gun: Maverick, Avatar: The Way of Water) that actually improved upon its predecessor. Eleven years after the first Puss in Boots, the eponymous rascally cat has now burned through eight of his nine lives on his various adventures, reteaming with Kitty Softpaws in pursuit of the Last Wish, which would restore his lives. Along the way, he tries to outrun Goldilocks — hoping to attain the Last Wish for herself — and a menacing wolf who mysteriously stalks Puss. Like other DreamWorks films post-Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the blend of 2-D and 3-D is striking in its visual texture, particularly in action sequences, but its darkly authentic themes of anxiety and the value of friendship resonate most of all.

2. Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: David Soren

Cast: Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Nick Kroll, Thomas Middleditch, Jordan Peele, Kristen Schaal

Lights, camera, VPNaction! Elevate your movie nights with NordVPN. 🎥🔒secure your connection and Download NordVPN . Click now to unlock global cinematic thrills!

The wildly popular Captain Underpants book series has kept kids entertained since 1997, but it wasn't until 20 years later that the tighty-whities-clad hero made it to the big screen. The First Epic Movie centers on George and Harold, fourth-grader best friends who create the Captain Underpants comic book and hypnotize their strict principal into becoming the superhero — who doesn't actually have superpowers. Kid-friendly without being too mind-numbing to their parents, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie has "charm to spare," praises EW's critic, noting it works "mostly because it never tries to be more or less than what it is." It also spawned a series on Netflix, The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, which ran from 2018 to 2020.

3. The Angry Birds Movie (2016)

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Clay Kaytis and Fergal Reilly

Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, Sean Penn, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Bill Hader, Peter Dinklage

While it may be damning with faint praise to give credit to The Angry Birds Movie for not being a total disaster...it really could've been much worse. Based on the wildly popular app of the same name, the film follows Red (voiced by Jason Sudeikis), a talking bird who comes to suspect that his island's new pig inhabitants have malicious intent. Your mileage may vary depending on your tolerance for punny/juvenile humor, but as EW's review notes, the film "delivers a mildly diverting mix of winky meta-jokes and moral lessons, cannily aimed at both the next generation of tiny consumers and their more sophisticated parents.

4. Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)

Director: Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson

Cast: Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann, Burn Gorman, Ron Perlman, John Turturro, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz, Tilda Swinton

Codirectors Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson transport the classic story of Pinocchio to World War II-era Italy in this meticulously crafted stop-motion animated film. Following the death of his young son, carpenter Geppetto cuts down a tree and carves a wooden boy, who is subsequently brought to life and dubbed Pinocchio. As the boy ventures to the outside world, he is met with dark forces that attempt to use and corrupt him, all against the backdrop of Benito Mussolini's reign as leader of Fascist Italy. Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is a darker take on the tale compared to the well-known Disney adaptation (which also received a far-inferior live-action remake in 2022). From the fraught setting to the detailed creature designs, del Toro and Gustafson create a distinct world while providing valuable life lessons to viewers of all ages. The film became the first Netflix production to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

5. The Sea Beast (2022)

Director: Chris Williams

Cast: Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste

Lights, camera, VPNaction! Elevate your movie nights with NordVPN. 🎥🔒secure your connection and Download NordVPN . Click now to unlock global cinematic thrills!

A brave orphan girl named Maisie stows away aboard a ship of sea monster hunters in The Sea Beast, helmed by Big Hero 6's co-director Chris Williams. The sailors are renowned for their hunting abilities, though their status is threatened by their society's admiral, who wishes to replace them. They go out on one last hunt to track down a powerful sea beast called the Red Bluster, but, as Maisie soon discovers, the creatures may not have the kind of malicious intent for which they've come to be known. With dazzling colors, fast-paced thrills, and classical storytelling, it's easy to see why The Sea Beast became Netflix's most watched animated original film as of October 2022, according to the streamer. The film also earned a Best Animated Feature nomination at the Oscars, following a wave of critical praise.

#netflix #movies #film #top 5 #animation movies